Coffin



NITE earns Afr onFCE.

CHARLES E. H. RICHARDSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COFFIN.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 22,537, dated January 4, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. H. RICH- ARDsoN, of the city ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Construction of Air and Damp Tight Caskets for thePreservation of the Dead; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figurel is a top view of my improved casket, with the top removed, showing aninternal lining, hereinafter explained. Fig. 2 is a sectionallongitudinal elevation, and Fig. 3 a perspective or general view.

The object of my invent-ion is the pr0- vision of an air and damp tightcasket for the perfect preservation of the dead from decay and theprevention of the escape of any offensive odor or gases. Ordinarycofiins have the objections of being vulnerable to decay and the attacksof vermin, and although coflins have been made free from these defects,yet such have been generally made of iron, which is cumbrous anddifiicult to handle. Or, if made of Wood, they have been mostly preparedin such a way as to give them an appearance calculated to disclose atonce their obj ect, and necessitate their removal to places speciallykept private. I propose to avoid these objections as follows. I make thecasket as shown at A, A, Fig. 3, z'. e., of an oblong form with circularends, and of well seasoned wood of some hard and sound species. Insideof this, and covering every part of the sides and bottom and theirjoints, there is a lining B, B', Figs. l and 2, of heavy silk, duck, orother material. This lining I propose to cover with a coat of somesuitable paint. Metallic paint would probably answer best, and I wouldrecommend its use. Sheets of smooth, sound, prepared cork are to beprovided, which are to be soaked in collodion sufciently long to fill upthe pores and permit the collodion to coat the Surthis cork is laid in aproper position on the bottom and around the sides of the coiin, so asto lit snugly to the silk or duck lining. lNhen so placed the oints areto be saturated with such paint as is used on the silk or duck lining.

A lid of strong and heavy plate glass, D, D, Figs. 2 and 8, covers thecothn and is secured in the cork lining by halving or rabbets, and so asto make an air and damp tight joint. Strong bands of plated or othermetal, E, E, E, FX", Figs. 2 and 3, of suitable dimensions, encircle thetop and bottom of the casket; the top one being bent so as to resemblein section the gothic letter L. This top band encircles the glass top D,D, as shown in Fig. 2; thus protecting the glass against displacementfrom jarring or the expansion of the air conned within, if the coiiin isnot exhausted after the remains have been placed in.

Outside of the plate glass lid, D, D', I place a lid of'the same kind ofwood as that in the body of the cofiin. This lid is dividedlongitudinally into two equal parts, F, F, and F, F", Fig. 3, whichswing on the hinges C, Cr, Fig. 3.

If it is desired to exhaust the cotlin of air, the body of it might alsobe coated with the metallic or other paint, and the glass top be bracedby any convenient means.

That- I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentis- The construction of a coflin or casket made air and moisture tightby a double lining of cloth and cork, prepared and combined in themanner and for the purpose substantially as above described.

CHAS. E. H. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

J. H. B. JENKINS,

JEMINI CHILD.

